Illumination Device and Fixture

ABSTRACT

Technologies are described herein for an illumination device and a corresponding fixture device. The illumination device includes a luminary module for the emission of light and an identification circuit containing identifying data, while the fixture device includes a driver module for supplying power to the illumination device and a controller module. When the illumination device is connected to the fixture device, the controller module communicates with the identification circuit of the illumination device to retrieve the identifying data and causes the driver module to supply the appropriate power to the luminary module of the illumination device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patentapplication No. 61/038,211, filed on Mar. 20, 2008, entitled“Intelligent Illumination and Energy Management System,” which isexpressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of electriclighting and, more particularly, to a lighting system comprising anillumination device and a corresponding fixture device.

BACKGROUND

Rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns has increased theneed for energy management technologies and techniques. A major sourceof energy usage in industrial, commercial, and residential settings iselectric lighting. Alternative lighting devices may be utilized alongwith associated illumination and energy management systems to providemore efficient lighting, lower energy usage, monitoring and loadmanagement, and other related benefits and features. Alternativelighting devices based on solid-state luminary devices or other lowwattage illumination technology may provide lower overall costs andlonger replacement cycles of up to 30,000 hours or more.

However, these types of alternative lighting devices may have a higherup-front cost than traditional lighting. Moreover, it may be desirableto control which lighting devices are allowed to be used in a particularillumination system, both for ensuring compatibility and quality of thedevices used in the system, as well as for providing a licensingenforcement mechanism for manufactures producing compatible devices. Therapid pace of development in this area, coupled with the longerreplacement cycles may also create a situation wherein, when replacementis necessary for one of these devices, the capabilities andspecifications of compatible lighting devices may have changed from theoriginal version. In addition, the high up-front cost coupled with thelonger replacement cycles may create a secondary market for these typesof lighting devices.

It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosuremade herein is presented.

SUMMARY

It should be appreciated that this Summary is provided to introduce aselection of concepts in a simplified form that are further describedbelow in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended toidentify key features or essential features of the claimed subjectmatter, nor is it intended that this Summary be used to limit the scopeof the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matteris not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantagesnoted in any part of this disclosure.

According to embodiments, a lighting system including an illuminationdevice and a corresponding fixture device is provided. The illuminationdevice includes a luminary module for the emission of light and anidentification circuit containing identifying data, while the fixturedevice includes a driver module for supplying power to the illuminationdevice and a controller module. When the illumination device isconnected to the fixture device, the controller module communicates withthe identification circuit of the illumination device to retrieve theidentifying data and causes the driver module to supply the appropriatepower to the luminary module of the illumination device.

According to another embodiment, an illumination device is provided thatincludes an array of solid-state luminary (“SSL”) devices and anidentification circuit containing identifying data. When theillumination device is connected to a corresponding fixture device, thefixture device retrieves the identifying data from the identificationcircuit and supplies power to the SSL array.

In a further embodiment, a method of authenticating an illuminationdevice connected to a corresponding fixture device is provided. Thefixture device initializes an identification circuit in the illuminationdevice and communicates with the identification circuit to retrieveidentifying data regarding the illumination device. The fixture devicedetermines whether the illumination device is authentic based on theidentifying data. If the fixture device determines the illuminationdevice is authentic, the fixture device supplies the appropriate powerto a luminary module on the illumination device. However, if the fixturedevice determines that the illumination device is not authentic, thefixture device disables all power to the illumination device.

Other systems, apparatuses, and methods according to embodiments will beor become apparent to one with skill in the art upon review of thefollowing drawings and Detailed Description. It is intended that allsuch additional systems, apparatuses, and/or methods be included withinthis description, be within the scope of the present invention, and beprotected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing aspects of an illumination device anda corresponding fixture device, according to the embodiments describedherein;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an illustrative operating environmentand various external components associated with the illumination andfixture devices, according to the embodiments described herein;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are perspective views of an illumination deviceconfigured to be coupled to a corresponding fixture device usingmagnetic couplings, according to one embodiment described herein;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing one method of authenticating anillumination device attached to a fixture device, according to theembodiments described herein; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an illustrative computer hardware andsoftware architecture for a computing system capable of implementingaspects of the embodiments presented herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is directed to an illumination deviceand corresponding fixture device. Because of the higher cost ofcomponents in many alternative lighting devices, the separation of theexpendable illumination components in the illumination device from thedriving and control components in the fixture device may be beneficialto the manufacturing and implementation costs of these devices. Further,the fixture device is capable of authenticating attached illuminationdevices and may only supply power to authorized devices. In this way, animplementer of the fixture device is provided with a mechanism forenforcing specifications and quality standards as well as licensingagreements with manufacturers of compatible illumination devices.

In addition, the illumination device may be capable of supplying thefixture device with optimal driver parameters, such that when a new orreplacement illumination device is attached to a compatible fixturedevice, the fixture device may adjust the supplied power accordingly toensure the highest level of efficiency and/or longest life for theillumination device. The illumination device may also be capable ofcollecting and storing usage information, such as hours of operation, insuch a way that is accessible to the fixture device. If the illuminationdevice is moved to another fixture, or sold to another user in asecondary market, the historical usage information regarding theillumination device will be available to the new fixture device.

In the following detailed description, references are made to theaccompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and that show, by way ofillustration, specific embodiments or examples. In the accompanyingdrawings, like numerals represent like elements through the severalfigures.

FIG. 1 shows aspects of an illumination device 102 and a correspondingfixture device 104, according to the embodiments described herein. Theillumination device 102 includes a luminary module 106 that emits lightin response to the appropriate power being applied to the device.According to one embodiment, the luminary module 106 consists of anumber of solid-state luminary (“SSL”) devices. Examples of SSL devicesmay include, but are not limited to, high power light-emitting diodes(“LEDs”), organic light-emitting diodes (“OLEDs”), polymerlight-emitting diodes (“PLEDs”), light-emitting transistors (“LETs”),and light-emitting capacitors (“LECs”).

The SSL devices may be assembled in an array, or an arrangement ofmultiple SSL devices in various circuits. Examples of such circuits forarranging SSL devices include series, parallel, trees, buses, bussedarrays, grouped arrays, and various other topological arrangements ofSSL devices. Different types and colors of SSL devices may be includedin the array to produce the desired overall amount and color ortemperature of light from the luminary module 106. According to furtherembodiments, the luminary module 106 may consist of one or more,incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, halogen lamps, high-intensitydischarge (“HID”) lamps, carbon nanotube-based structures, or anycombination of these and other light-emitting devices.

The illumination device 102 further includes an identification circuit108. According to one embodiment, the identification circuit 108 is anintegrated circuit (“IC”) device capable of storing identifying (“ID”)data 110 which identifies the illumination device 102. Theidentification circuit 108 may be a single IC component or a combinationof components. According to one embodiment, the identification circuit108 includes a microcontroller IC chip, such as a BOARD ID chip fromRENESAS TECHNOLOGY CORP. of Tokyo, Japan. In another embodiment, theidentification circuit 108 includes a serial electrically-erasableprogrammable read-only memory (“EEPROM”) chip.

The ID data 110 may include a stock keeping unit (“SKU”) or a serialnumber that identifies the manufacturer of the illumination device 102as well as the manufactured lot of devices to which the illuminationdevice belongs. The ID data 110 may further include, but is not limitedto, the type, color, temperature, and output of the luminary module 106within the illumination device 102. The identification circuit 108 alsoincludes a data/communication interface 116 that allows the ID data 110to be retrieved, as will be described in detail below.

In a further embodiment, the identification circuit 108 may also storeoptimal driver parameters 112 for the luminary module 106 in addition tothe ID data 110. The optimal driver parameters 112 may containinformation essential to drive the luminary module 106 to optimalbrightness, efficiency, and/or longest operational life. The optimaldriver parameters 112 may include, but are not limited to, optimalcurrent, modulation frequency, and voltage as well as acceptable heatand/or thermocouple values. These values may be based on the types oflight-emitting devices contained in the luminary module 106 and may alsodepend upon characteristics of the manufacturing lot of the illuminationdevice 102. As in the case of the ID data 110, the optimal driverparameters 112 may be retrieved from the identification circuit 108 overthe data/communication interface 116, as will be described in detailbelow in regard to FIG. 4.

According to another embodiment, the identification circuit 108 maysupport optional sensors 114 located in the illumination device 102 tocollect and store operational information regarding the device or thecontained luminary module 106. For example, a thermocouple may beinstalled in the illumination device 102 in proximity to the luminarymodule 106, allowing the identification circuit 108 to collect and storetemperature information regarding the luminary module. Other types ofsensors 114 may be imagined by one skilled in the art, including, butnot limited to, a light output sensor. The identification circuit 108may interface with the sensors through any number of methods commonlyknown in the art. For example, the sensors may be connected to thegeneral-purpose I/O (“GPIO”) pins of a BOARD ID chip described abovethrough an analog to digital converter (“ADC”) circuit.

In addition, the identification circuit 108 may collect and store otheroperational information regarding the illumination device 102 and/orluminary module 106, such as hours of operation. This operationalinformation may be stored in non-volatile storage of the identificationcircuit 108, such as flash random-access memory (“RAM”), so that theinformation remains with the illumination device 102 even when it ismoved from one location or installation to another. This information mayalso be made available to external devices over the data/communicationinterface 116.

The corresponding fixture device 104 is also shown in detail in FIG. 1.According to embodiments, the fixture device 104 includes a drivermodule 118 that supplies operational power to the illumination device102, specifically to the luminary module 106, and a controller module120 that controls the operation of the driver module. The driver module118 may be a single IC component or a combination of several components.For example, to drive a luminary module 106 comprising an array of SSLdevices, the driver module may include a power converter component 122to convert source power to the DC voltage necessary to drive the SSLarray, as shown in FIG. 1. The power converter component 122 maycomprise a transformer to drop the voltage to required levels, arectifier circuit to convert the source power from AC to DC, and/or afilter circuit to control the supply of power to the SSL array.

The driver module 118 may further include a switching component 124 thatallows the power to the illumination device 102 to be enabled anddisabled by the controller module 120, as will be described in moredetail below in regard to FIG. 4. The output of the driver module 118 isconnected to the luminary module 106 in the illumination device 102through one or more power connections 126, as further shown in theFIG. 1. The number of power connections 126 required may depend on thenumber and type of light-emitting devices in the luminary module 106 aswell as the type of power supplied by the driver module 118.

It will be appreciated that the power converter component 122 andswitching component 124 of the driver module 118 shown in FIG. 1 areprovided as simplified examples for the purpose of this disclosure, andthat the driver module may consist of any number of components requiredto allow the driver module to drive the luminary module 106 of theillumination device 102. For example, the driver module 118 may consistof a switching mode power supply circuit which can be controlled by thecontroller module 120 to supply the desired voltage and current to theluminary module 106. The controller module 120 may further be able tomodify the output of the driver module 118 to brighten or dim theluminary module 106 or modify its color output by using modulationtechniques, including, but not limited to, pulse-width nodulation(“PWM”), pulse-shape modulation (“PSM”), bit angle modulation (“BAM”),pulse-code modulation (“PCM”), and parallel pulse-code modulation(“PPCM”) techniques.

The controller module 120 in the fixture device 104 is responsible forcommunicating with the identification circuit 108 in the illuminationdevice 102 to authenticate the illumination device for use with thefixture device, as will be described in detail below in regard to FIG.4. The controller module 120 may also retrieve the optimal driverparameters 112 from the identification circuit 108 and modify the outputof the driver module 118 to supply the desired power to the luminarymodule 106 according to these parameters. As discussed above, this mayinclude the controller module 120 controlling the voltage, current,modulation frequency, and other aspects of the output of the drivermodule 118. This may also include the controller module 120 disablingthe driver module 118 from providing any power to the illuminationdevice 102 if the device is not authorized for use in the fixture device104, as will be further described below in regard to FIG. 4.

The controller module 120 may be a single IC component or a combinationof components. For example, the controller module 120 may include amicrocontroller IC chip, containing non-volatile memory and on-boardcontrol logic. The controller module 120 communicates with theidentification circuit 108 in the illumination device 102 via thedata/communication interface 116. The data/communication interface 116may be implemented using any number of hardware communication standardsknown in the art. Because of the nature of the detachable connectivitybetween the illumination device 102 and fixture device 104, a serialcommunication interface requiring a minimal number of connections may bedesired, including, but not limited to I²C, serial peripheral interfacebus (“SPI”), RS-422, or other serial communication interface standard.For example, in an implementation utilizing a BOARD ID chip describedabove, the data/communication interface 116 may implement the I²Cstandard and consist of three connections: a serial data (“SDA”)connection, a serial clock (“SCL”) connection, and a source voltage(“V_(DD)”) connection for providing power to the identification circuit108.

According to one embodiment, the controller module 120 may act as anetwork node on a power-line communication (“PLC”) network as part of anoverarching energy management system (“EMS”), such as that described inco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ entitled “EnergyManagement System,” filed on Mar. 20, 2009 and assigned Attorney DocketNo. 60060.0001USU2, which is expressly incorporated herein by referencein its entirety. The controller module 120 may be connected to a PLCmodem 128 that allows the controller to communicate with other nodes onthe PLC network, as well as with one or more central system controllers,as will be described in more detail below in regard to FIG. 2. The PLCmodem 128 may be a separate IC component or combination of components,or it may be integrated into the controller module 120 circuitry orimplemented in the controller module as software. The PLC modem 128 maybe further connected to the source power for the fixture device 104 tofacilitate a communication channel for the controller module 120 overthe power lines.

It will be appreciated that, while the driver module 118, the controllermodule 120, and the PLC modem 128 are illustrated in FIG. 1 as beingseparate and distinct modules in the fixture device 104, any or all ofthese modules may be combined into a single integrated circuit ordivided into further discrete circuits, as required. The implementationis a matter of choice dependent on the IC components utilized in thefixture device 104 and illumination device 102 as well as the formfactor of these devices to be used. It will be further appreciated thatany number of circuits may be conceived by one skilled in the art toperform the functions of these modules and other modules or componentsdescribed herein, and it is intended that this application include allsuch circuits.

FIG. 2 shows one example of an operating environment 200 for theillumination device 102 and the corresponding fixture device 104. Theillumination device 102 shown in FIG. 2 includes a luminary module 106consisting of an array of SSL devices disposed from the lower surfaceand a number of connectors or “pins” on the upper surface for the powerconnections 126 and the data/communication interface 116 between theillumination device and the fixture device 104. As described above, thenumber of connectors required for the power connections 126 may dependon the number and type of light-emitting devices in the luminary module106 and the type of power supplied by the driver module 118, while thenumber of connectors required for the data/communication interface 116may depend on the serial communication interface standard implementedbetween the identification circuit 108 and the controller module 120.

The fixture device 104 has a corresponding number of connectors or“sockets” on its lower surface to receive the connectors of theillumination device 102 when the device is attached or connected to thefixture. The attachment between the illumination device 102 and thefixture device 104 is detachable to facilitate the replacement ofillumination devices in the system. In other words, the illuminationdevice 102 is capable of being detached from the fixture device 104 andreplaced with a new illumination device, or the illumination device maybe moved to another fixture device.

The mechanism for attachment of the illumination device 102 to thefixture device 104 may be any means known in the art beyond the pins andsockets shown in FIG. 2. According to one embodiment, the illuminationdevice 102 attaches to the fixture device 102 using magnetic couplings302, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B and described in co-pending U.S.patent application ______ entitled “A Conductive Magnetic CouplingSystem,” filed on Mar. 20, 2009 and assigned Attorney Docket No.60060.0001USU3, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference inits entirety. The magnetic couplings 302 may serve both to mechanicallyattach the devices together as well as facilitate the power connections126 and data/communication interface 116 connection. In furtherembodiments, additional attachment mechanisms may be utilized beyondthose connectors described above and shown in the drawings. For example,the illumination device 102 may include thumb screws which allow theillumination device to be attached to the fixture device 104.

In one embodiment, the fixture device 104 is housed in an adaptor formfactor configured to attach to the power source through a conventionallight socket 202, such as the Edison-style screw socket shown in FIGS.2, 3A, and 3B. This may be used when retrofitting a conventionallighting system with alternative lighting devices. The adaptor housingof the fixture device 104 may further be configured to fit otherconventional lights sockets, such as the bi-pin socket used withtraditional fluorescent tube lighting. In alternative embodiments, thefixture device 104 may connect directly to the power source through asimple, mechanical connection or through other proprietary means.

The power source to the fixture device 104 may be switched through aswitch 204. The switch 204 may be a conventional light switch, or it maybe a PLC switch that allows the controller module 120 in the fixturedevice 104 to communicate with other nodes on the PLC network even whenthe switch is in an “off” position. The power source for the fixturedevice 104 may be further connected to an electrical service panel 206that also supplies power to other nodes on the PLC network, such as thesystem controller computer 208 shown in FIG. 2.

The system controller computer 208 may be general purpose computer suchas a desktop, laptop, notebook, or server computer, or the systemcontroller computer 208 may be special purposed computing device. Thesystem controller computer 208 may execute a system controller program212 which is responsible for managing one or more nodes on the PLCnetwork, including the fixture device 104. The system controllercomputer 208 may be connected to a PLC modem 210 similar to that in thefixture device 104, creating a communication channel over the powerlines between the controller module 120 in the fixture device and thesystem controller program 212 executing on the system controllercomputer.

As discussed briefly above, the controller module 120 of the fixturedevice 104 may be capable of controlling the voltage, current,modulation frequency, and other aspects of the output of the drivermodule 118 to the illumination device 102. The parameters used by thecontroller module 120 to control the output of the driver module 118 maybe obtained from the identification circuit 108 in the illuminationdevice 102, or they may be obtained from a central database 214.According to one embodiment, the central database 214 is located on oris replicated to the system controller computer 208. The centraldatabase 214 contains individual device records 216 that store theoptimal driver parameters 112 for the corresponding ID data 110.

The device records 216 may be supplied by one or more manufacturers ofcompatible illumination devices and may be entered into the centraldatabase 214 by EMS administrative personnel, or retrieved from themanufacturer over the Internet by the system controller program 212 andstored in the central database. As will be discussed in more detailbelow in regard to FIG. 4, the controller module 120 in the fixturedevice 104 may access the central database 214 over the PLC network toretrieve the optimal driver parameters 112 for specific ID data 110, orthe system controller program 212 may push the parameters to the fixturedevice through the PLC network.

According to another embodiment, the system controller program 212 mayoverride the optimal driving parameters 112 used by the driver module118 to supply power to the illumination device 102. The systemcontroller program 212 may send driving parameters over the PLC networkto the controller module 120 that are different from the optimal drivingparameters 112 obtained from the identification circuit 108 or thecentral database 214. For example, the system controller program 212 mayobtain the ID data 110 from the identification circuit 108 of theillumination device 102 over the PLC network, and then access thecentral database 214 to retrieve the optimal driver parameters 112 forthe ID data 110. However, the system controller program 212 may modifythe optimal driving parameters 112, based on knowledge of surroundingillumination devices in the environment, in order to make the lightoutput of the illumination device 102 consistent in intensity and/ortemperature (color) to the surrounding devices. The system controllerprogram 212 will then send the modified driving parameters to thecontroller module 120 in the fixture device 104, and the controllermodule will use the modified parameters to control the output of thedriver module 118 to the illumination device 102.

Referring now to FIG. 4, additional details will be provided regardingthe embodiments presented herein. It should be appreciated that thelogical operations described with respect to FIG. 4 are implemented (1)as a sequence of computer implemented acts or program modules running ona microcontroller or computing system and/or (2) as interconnectedmachine logic circuits or circuit modules within the various componentsand modules described herein. The implementation is a matter of choicedependent on the components selected in the implementation of theillumination device 102 and the corresponding fixture device 104, aswell as the performance and other requirements of the system. Thelogical operations described herein may be implemented in software orfirmware of a computer system, in software or firmware within amicrocontroller, in special purpose digital logic circuits, or anycombination thereof. It should also be appreciated that more or feweroperations may be performed than shown in the figures and describedherein. The operations may also be performed in a different order thandescribed.

FIG. 4 illustrates a routine 400 for authenticating an illuminationdevice 102 attached to a corresponding fixture device 104, according toone embodiment. The routine 400 may be executed by the controller module120 of the fixture device 104 upon detecting the connection of anillumination device 102, or the routine may be executed each time thepower source is applied to the fixture device. The routine 400 begins atoperation 402, where the controller module 120 initializes theidentification circuit 108 on the illumination device 102. This mayinvolve simply providing source power (V_(DD)) to the identificationcircuit 108, or it may involve a more complex initialization sequencewherein the controller module 120 negotiates communications standardsand other initialization parameters with the identification circuit.

From operation 402, the routine 400 proceeds to operation 404, where thecontroller module 120 authenticates the attached illumination device102. According to one embodiment, the authentication process involvesthe controller module 120 retrieving the serial number or SKU stored aspart of the ID data 110 in the identification circuit 108 and checkingit against a stored list of authorized SKUs. The controller module 120uses the data/communication interface 116 between the module and theidentification circuit 108 to read the ID data 110 stored therein. Thelist of authorized SKUs may be present in the controller module 120, orthe controller module 120 may utilize the PLC network to access a listof authorized SKUs on a remote device, such as the system controllercomputer 208.

In another embodiment, the controller module 120 authenticates theillumination device 102 using an asymmetrical encryption scheme such asa public key infrastructure (“PKI”). This authentication scheme mayprovide a more robust and secure form of authentication between theillumination device 102 and the fixture device 104, as well as provide amechanism for licensing manufactures of compatible illumination devicesby providing each licensed manufacture with a security certificatecontaining a public key and a corresponding private key that are storedin the identification circuit 108 of the device.

For example, the controller module 120 may request authentication fromthe identification circuit 108 over the data/communication interface116. In response, the identification circuit 108 may return the securitycertificate issued to the manufacturer and stored within the circuit.The controller module 120 validates the security certificate against acertificate of authority contained in the controller module. Thecontroller module 120 then sends a challenge, such as a random number,to the identification circuit 108 to prove that the identificationcircuit contains the private key associated with the certificate. Theidentification circuit 108 digitally signs the random number with itsprivate key, and returns it as a response to the controller module 120.If the controller module 120 validates the challenge response using thepublic key stored in the security certificate previously provided by theidentification circuit 108, then the illumination device 102 isauthenticated for use with the fixture device 104. It will beappreciated that other forms of authentication may be used toauthenticate the illumination device 102 beyond those described above,including, but not limited to, a symmetrical exchange of private keys orother encryption techniques.

If, at operation 406, the illumination device 102 is not authentic, i.e.the controller module 120 fails to authenticate the identificationcircuit 108 in the device, then the routine 400 proceeds to operation408, where the controller module disables all power output from thedriver module 118 to the luminary module 106 in the illumination device.Alternatively, the controller module 120 may take more proactivecountermeasures against the unauthorized illumination device 102, suchas causing the driver module 118 to send a voltage spike to theillumination device, thus permanently disabling it. From operation 408,the routine 400 ends.

If, however, the illumination device 102 is found to be authentic, theroutine 400 proceeds from operation 406 to operation 410, where thecontroller module 120 retrieves the remaining ID data 110 and theoptimal driver parameters 112, if present, from the identificationcircuit 108 of the device. In one embodiment, the controller module 120accesses the central database 214 stored on the system controllercomputer 208 over the PLC network to locate the device record 216 forthe ID data 110 retrieved from the identification circuit 108 andretrieve the optimal driver parameters for the illumination device 102.The controller module 120 may access this remote set of optimal driverparameters 112 even if a set of optimal driver parameters is stored inthe identification circuit 108, because manufacturers may periodicallyupdate driver parameters for their illumination devices based on testingor changes in the light output of the devices over time.

From operation 410, the routine proceeds to operation 412, where thecontroller module 120 causes the driver module 118 to supply theappropriate power output to the luminary module 106 on the illuminationdevice 102 based on the optimal driver parameters 112 retrieved from theidentification circuit 108 and/or the central database 214. This mayinclude modifying the voltage, current, and modulation frequency of theoutput of the driver module 118 to match the specified parameters. Fromoperation 412, the routine 400 ends.

FIG. 5 shows example computer architectures for a computer 500 capableof managing one or more nodes on the PLC network 522, including thefixture device 104, in the manner presented above. The computerarchitecture shown in FIG. 5 illustrates a conventional computingdevice, PDA, digital cellular phone, communication device, desktopcomputer, laptop, or server computer and may be utilized to execute anyaspects of the software components presented herein described asexecuting on the system controller computer 208 or other computingplatform.

The computer architecture shown in FIG. 5 includes a central processingunit 502 (CPU), a system memory 508, including a random access memory514 (RAM) and a read-only memory 516 (ROM), and a system bus 504 thatcouples the memory to the CPU 502. A basic input/output systemcontaining the basic routines that help to transfer information betweenelements within the computer 500, such as during startup, is stored inthe ROM 516. The computer 500 also includes a mass storage device 510for storing an operating system 518, application programs, and otherprogram modules, which are described in greater detail herein.

The mass storage device 510 is connected to the CPU 502 through a massstorage controller (not shown) connected to the bus 504. The massstorage device 510 and its associated computer-readable media providenon-volatile storage for the computer 500. Although the description ofcomputer-readable media contained herein refers to a mass storagedevice, such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive, it should be appreciated bythose skilled in the art that computer-readable media can be anyavailable computer storage media that can be accessed by the computer500.

By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media mayinclude volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable mediaimplemented in any method or technology for storage of information suchas computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, orother data. For example, computer-readable media includes, but is notlimited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other solid statememory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD), HD-DVD,BLU-RAY, or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any othermedium that can be used to store the desired information and that can beaccessed by the computer 500.

According to various embodiments, the computer 500 may operate in anetworked environment using logical connections to remote computingdevices and computer systems through a network 520. The computer 500 mayconnect to the network 520 through a network interface unit 506connected to the bus 504. It should be appreciated that the networkinterface unit 506 may also be utilized to connect to other types ofnetworks and remote computer systems. The computer 500 may also includean input/output controller 512 for receiving and processing input from anumber of input and output devices. For example, the input/outputcontroller 512 may support the connection of the computer 500 to the PLCmodem 210, which allows application programs executing on the computerto communicate with other nodes on the PLC network 522, such as thefixture device 104 described above in regard to FIGS. 1 and 2. Theinput/output controller 512 may also be connected to other inputdevices, including a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, a touch screen, anelectronic stylus, or other type of input device. Similarly, theinput/output controller 512 may provide output to a display device, suchas a computer monitor, a flat-panel display, a digital projector, aprinter, a plotter, or other type of output device.

As mentioned briefly above, a number of program modules and data filesmay be stored in the mass storage device 510 and RAM 514 of the computer500, including an operating system 518 suitable for controlling theoperation of a computer. The mass storage device 510 and RAM 514 mayalso store one or more program modules. In particular, the mass storagedevice 510 and the RAM 514 may store the system controller program 212,which was described above in regard to FIG. 2. The mass storage device510 and the RAM 514 may also store other types of program modules ordata, such as the central database 214.

Based on the foregoing, it should be appreciated that technologies foran illumination device and a corresponding fixture device are providedherein. The subject matter described above is provided by way ofillustration only and should not be construed as limiting. Variousmodifications and changes may be made to the subject matter describedherein without following the example embodiments and applicationsillustrated and described, and without departing from the true spiritand scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the followingclaims.

1. A lighting system, comprising: an illumination device comprising aluminary module and an identification circuit; and a fixture devicecomprising a driver module and a controller module, wherein theillumination device is detachably connected to the fixture device, thedriver module is configured to supply power to the luminary module, andthe controller module is configured to communicate with theidentification circuit of the illumination device to retrieve data andcontrol the driver module according to the data.
 2. The system of claim1, wherein the controller module is further configured to: communicatewith the identification circuit to determine if the illumination deviceis authentic; upon determining that the illumination device isauthentic, cause the driver module to supply power to the luminarymodule of the illumination device; and upon determining that theillumination device is not authentic, cause the driver module to removepower from the luminary module of the illumination device.
 3. The systemof claim 2, wherein the controller module is further configured to, upondetermining that the illumination device is not authentic, permanentlydisable the luminary module of the illumination device.
 4. The system ofclaim 2, wherein determining if the illumination device is authenticcomprises reading identifying data from the identification circuit andvalidating the identifying data.
 5. The system of claim 2, whereindetermining if the illumination device is authentic comprisesnegotiating authentication with the identification circuit using anasymmetrical encryption scheme.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein theidentification circuit contains identifying data and wherein thecontroller module is further configured to: read the identifying datafrom the identification circuit; retrieve optimal driver parametersregarding the luminary module associated with the identifying data froma central database; and cause the driver module to supply power to theluminary module of the illumination device according to the optimaldriver parameters.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the identificationcircuit contains optimal driver parameters regarding the luminary moduleand wherein the controller module is further configured to: read theoptimal driver parameters from the identification circuit; and cause thedriver module to supply power to the luminary module of the illuminationdevice according to the optimal driver parameters.
 8. The system ofclaims 6 or 7, wherein the optimal driver parameters comprise one ormore of a current value, a modulation frequency value, a voltage value,and a heat/thermocouple value.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein theidentification circuit of the illumination device is configured tocollect and store usage information regarding the luminary module, andwherein the controller module of the fixture device is furtherconfigured to read the usage information from the identificationcircuit.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the usage informationcomprises hours of operation of the luminary module.
 11. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the identification circuit comprises a microcontrollerintegrated circuit device.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein theluminary module comprises an array of solid-state luminary (“SSL”)devices.
 13. An illumination device, comprising: one or more solid-stateluminary (“SSL”) devices; and an identification circuit containingidentifying data, wherein the illumination device is detachablyconnected to a corresponding fixture device configured to communicatewith the identification circuit to read the identifying data, and supplypower to the one or more SSL devices.
 14. The illumination device ofclaim 13, wherein the fixture device is further configured to:communicate with the identification circuit to determine if theillumination device is authentic; and upon determining that theillumination device is not authentic, disable power to the one or moreSSL devices.
 15. The illumination device of claim 13, wherein theidentification circuit further contains optimal driver parametersregarding the one or more SSL devices and wherein the fixture device isfurther configured to: communicate with the identification circuit toretrieve the optimal driver parameters; and supply power to the one ormore SSL devices according to the optimal driver parameters.
 16. Theillumination device of claim 13, wherein the identification circuitcomprises a microcontroller integrated circuit device.
 17. A method ofauthenticating an illumination device detachably connected to a fixturedevice, the method comprising: initializing an identification circuit onthe illumination device; communicating with the identification circuitto retrieve identifying data regarding the illumination device;determine if the illumination device is authentic based on theidentifying data; upon determining the illumination device is authentic,supplying power to a luminary module of the illumination device; andupon determining that the illumination device is not authentic,disabling the power to the illumination device.
 18. The method of claim17, further comprising: retrieving optimal driver parameters regardingthe luminary module of the illumination device associated with theidentifying data from a central database; and supplying power to theluminary module of the illumination device according to the optimaldriver parameters.
 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:communicating with the identification circuit to retrieve optimal driverparameters regarding the luminary module of the illumination device; andsupplying power to the luminary module of the illumination deviceaccording to the optimal driver parameters.